


Close Your Eyes

by sying



Category: Generation Kill
Genre: Established Relationship, Homecoming, M/M, sugary like birthday cake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-04
Updated: 2012-11-04
Packaged: 2019-03-12 16:46:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13551480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sying/pseuds/sying
Summary: If it weren't for the fucking thirty candles, Ray would think he's all but five when he's told to close his eyes and make a wish.





	Close Your Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Repost.
> 
> Originally written for and posted at a we_pimpin drabble party, prompt was "close your eyes".
> 
> Disclaimer: this is a non-profit work of fiction based on the HBO miniseries and its characters as portrayed by the actors.

Ray's plans on the night of his thirtieth birthday amount to nothing more than pizza and a couple of DVDs. The huge, get completely drunk of your ass party is happening six weeks from now when Brad gets back from his year-long tour. Which is why when he answers the door that evening, he's expecting the delivery guy, and definitely not his family and friends yelling "surprise!" and "happy birthday!"

He knows better than to try and hold back an invasion of Persons, Colberts and friends armed with gifts, food and drinks. He's congratulated, clapped on the back and kissed and suddenly the house is filled up with people and noise. Nate's clearing the space on the dinner table where Ray and Brad normally sit together of its strategically placed mess, so there's room for the gifts to be put down while Gracie is doing her usual chasing the cat around the living room. His mom smiles brightly at him before she hugs him so tight it's as if she hasn't seen him for years, instead of the few months since Christmas.

"Okay, what are you all doing here?" Ray asks while Sarah and Andre are handing out drinks. "The party isn't until six weeks from now."

"We're not sure we're gonna make it then," Walt says pointing to himself and Nate and Sue.

"And we thought it might be good for you to have some friends around on days like this," his mom says.

"Oh please mom, this isn't some melodramatic movie where I'm weeping into my pillow because I miss my boyfriend."

She rolls her eyes. "Don't exaggerate, Ray. I implied no such thing."

Poke crowds him, looking at him with narrowed eyes. "I don't know, Person. Those baby browns of yours have been looking kinda puffy and red-rimmed lately. You sure we didn't interrupt a crying jag just now?"

Ray laughs at him. "If I have cried a single tear lately it was over finding out you've become such a pussy that you're calling Teresa five times a day when she's away on a business trip."

He hides his grin behind his beer when Tony glares at Teresa, who in turn glares at him for divulging this information. Teresa tends to overshare with Ray when she gets drunk, much to his, but not Poke's amusement.

They shoot the shit for a while, catching up with how everyone's doing while the kids tear through the house until Ray's sat down, someone turns off the lights and Brad's mom comes out of the kitchen with a birthday cake while everyone sings. If it weren't for the fucking thirty candles, Ray would think he's all but five when he's told to close his eyes and make a wish.

"What do you think? A million dollars or a race-car?" he says to Rosie who's leaning into him, peering over the edge of the table top at the huge cake.

She looks at him with big eyes. "You can't say it out loud! It won't come true if you say it."

"Okay, okay."

He closes his eyes and figures, what the hell, if he's going to do this he might as well do it right. Can't hurt.

_Come home safe._

He blows out the candles in one breath and the lights come on again.

"I didn't know whiskey tango homosexuals were even capable of having a nauseatingly domestic birthday party such as this." Ray freezes at the sound of Brad's voice. "This is downright shameful, Ray. You're letting your brethren down."

He whips his head around to where Brad's voice seems to come from. And suddenly he's looking at Brad. Brad who's standing behind him, alive and well with a shit-eating grin. It feels like everything comes to a stop and for a few seconds he can't think or breathe.

Brad's grin turns into something softer. "Hi," he says while Ray's starting to realize that he hasn't just lost his goddamned mind. This is real. Without hesitation he launches himself at Brad who catches him easily.

"Motherfucker," he says, is all he can say, against the warm skin of Brad's neck, his voice cracking.

Brad's answer is a whispered "I know." And it's 'I missed you too' and 'I love you'.

When Ray's mind finally gets past the 'holy fuck, he's home' stage, he takes in Brad's familiar scent of the same shower gel he's used for years now and something that's entirely Brad. From the places Ray's pressed against his body he gathers Brad's lost some weight and he pulls back to look at his face - not as much as last time then. He looks tired but his eyes, focused on Ray, are bright.

They sit down as Brad tells him he got let go early and came home this morning. Ray looks around the table where everyone's sitting looking way too pleased.

"You all knew about this! You dirty--,"

"Language!" His mom interrupts him.

"You thought they were all here just for you?" Brad asks, the hand he has on Ray's thigh squeezing.

"Thirty ain't that special, Ray," Walt grins.

"You being completely speechless for more than a minute is," Nate says. "I don't think I've ever experienced it before."

"I captured the memorable occasion on film," Brad's dad says, victoriously holding up his video camera.

"He can be quiet," Brad says. "You just need to apply the right tactics."

Poke holds up a hand. "Please, Brad. We don't need to know all about your deviant ways."

Considering their moms are here, Ray has to agree with Poke on this one - more than he'll ever know - and he busies himself with eating cake and checking out his presents.

They're in the kitchen dumping dishes in the sink and getting more drinks when Brad's suddenly close behind him, holding his head in a firm grip.

"The hell are you doing?"

"Checking for gray hairs."

Ray laughs and tilts his head back against Brad's chest to leer up at him. "You should check other places too."

"Trust me," Brad says seriously, as his hands skim down Ray's body. "It's my next mission after kicking everybody out." And then he bends his head down for their first real kiss in a year. Ray means for it to be short and sweet since everybody's still here but within seconds Brad's got him turned around and pushed against the counter, their tongues sliding deep and wet and Brad's making this half-groan, half-whimper he only ever makes when he loses control.

"No unwrapping this present until the guests leave, Ray," Nate says when he comes into the kitchen. They pull apart reluctantly and catch their breath while Ray's stuck between cursing and thanking Nate for interrupting them when he did. What he does know is that he wants everyone to leave. Which they do, finally, after about half an hour that feels like forever. With the reminder they have twenty-four hours until the real party still ringing in his ears, Ray shuts the door behind them. He smiles at Brad who's got this stupid besotted grin on his face - probably reflecting his own - and is tugging him closer by his belt loops.

"Welcome home."

"Happy birthday."

And then he's being pulled towards the stairs, double-time.

THE END


End file.
